Flames Pick Up Big South Win Over UNC Asheville

Egon Samaai (left) and Dillon Segur (right) both posted wins in doubles and singles play on Monday afternoon against UNC Asheville.

The Liberty men's tennis team bounced back from a loss on Sunday with a 5-2 victory over the visiting UNC Asheville Bulldogs on Monday afternoon at the Hershey Tennis Courts.

The Flames pick up an important Big South win to improve to 2-3 in the conference and 9-9 overall on the season. UNC Asheville drops to 7-9 overall and 1-2 in league tilts.

The doubles pairs of Egon Samaai and Dillon Segur and Shea Thomas and Guillem Secanell each collected wins, staking Liberty to a 1-0 lead heading into singles play. Samaai and Segur improved to a team-best 10-3 after defeating John Schubel and Will Goldberg, 8-3, in the No. 2 spot. Thomas and Secanell followed with an 8-3 ousting of Daniel Kripak and Josh Swindler at No. 3.

The Bulldogs took a 2-1 advantage after the conclusion of the first two singles matches. At No. 6, Goldberg knocked off Secanell, 6-3, 6-0, before Landau handed Azuero a 6-3, 6-2 setback in the No. 3 position.

Liberty came roaring back with wins in the final four contests to clinch the match. Samaai tied the contest at two apiece with his 10th singles victory of the season. The sophomore downed Croker in straight sets, 7-5, 6-1, at No. 2.

Stan Vaughan put the Flames in front, 3-2, with a 6-4, 6-4 defeat of Schubel in the No. 4 position.

Thomas followed with the clinching win in the No. 1 spot. The senior picked up his team-leading 11th singles victory of the season, ousting Kripak, 6-4, 6-2.

After dropping the first set 6-2, Segur rebounded strongly, winning the final two sets, 6-2, 6-2, over Swindler in the No. 5 position.

The Flames will play their final home match of the season on Friday when Radford visits Lynchburg for a Big South contest. The match is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. at the Hershey Tennis Courts. Prior to the match, Liberty will honor its two seniors, Thomas and Vaughan.